Fingerprinting risk from recycled plastic products using physical and chemical properties

IF 12.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Journal of Hazardous Materials Pub Date : 2025-02-04 DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137507

Lakshmi Daggubati, Zahra Sobhani, Maddison Carbery, Kavitha Ramadass, Thava Palanisami

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Abstract

The increasing production and use of recycled plastics have raised significant concerns regarding the risks associated with hazardous chemicals. The recycled plastics can accumulate potentially hazardous chemicals, many of which are unknown and unregulated. This study compared the physical and chemical characteristics of recycled plastic products intended for food, oral, or skin contact applications with similar virgin plastic products. The results revealed significant changes in the surface morphology and elevated concentration of organic and inorganic chemicals in the recycled plastics compared to the virgin plastics. Specifically, metal(loids) concentrations were over 10 times higher, PFAS levels were twice as high, and PAH levels were three times higher in the recycled plastics. The calculated Hazard Index (HI) indicates up to a twofold increase in recycled plastics for both adults and children compared to virgin plastics, specifically through microplastic ingestion. The HI values exceed 1 for recycled plastic ingestion, therefore it falls in high-risk category due to the associated chemical exposure from microplastics.

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来源期刊

Journal of Hazardous Materials 工程技术-工程：环境

CiteScore

25.40

自引率

5.90%

发文量

3059

审稿时长

58 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Hazardous Materials serves as a global platform for promoting cutting-edge research in the field of Environmental Science and Engineering. Our publication features a wide range of articles, including full-length research papers, review articles, and perspectives, with the aim of enhancing our understanding of the dangers and risks associated with various materials concerning public health and the environment. It is important to note that the term "environmental contaminants" refers specifically to substances that pose hazardous effects through contamination, while excluding those that do not have such impacts on the environment or human health. Moreover, we emphasize the distinction between wastes and hazardous materials in order to provide further clarity on the scope of the journal. We have a keen interest in exploring specific compounds and microbial agents that have adverse effects on the environment.